Career and Education Opportunities for Computer Support Specialists in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

For those living in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area, there are many career and education opportunities for computer support specialists. There are currently 15,850 working computer support specialists in North Carolina; this should grow by 17% to 18,540 working computer support specialists in the state by 2016. This is better than the national trend for computer support specialists, which sees this job pool growing by about 13.8% over the next eight years. In general, computer support specialists provide technical assistance to computer system users.

Computer support specialists earn approximately $20 per hour or $42,340 annually on average in North Carolina. Nationally they average about $20 per hour or $43,450 yearly. Computer support specialists earn less than people working in the category of Computer generally in North Carolina and less than people in the Computer category nationally. Computer support specialists work in a variety of jobs, including: desktop support technician, product support specialist, and user support specialist.

There is one school within twenty-five miles of Winston-Salem where you can study to be a computer support specialist, among eighteen schools of higher education total in the Winston-Salem area. Given that the most common education level for computer support specialists is a Bachelor's degree, it will take about four years to learn to be a computer support specialist if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Computer Support Specialist

Computer Support Specialist video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, computer support specialists provide technical assistance to computer system users. They also answer questions or resolve computer problems for clients in person, via telephone or from remote location.

Computer support specialists answer user inquiries regarding computer software or hardware operation to deal with problems. They also read technical manuals, talk with users, or conduct computer diagnostics to investigate and resolve problems or to furnish technical assistance and support. Equally important, computer support specialists have to refer major hardware or software problems or faulty products to vendors or technicians for service. They are often called upon to enter commands and observe system functioning to confirm correct operations and detect errors. They are expected to oversee the daily performance of computer systems. Finally, computer support specialists read trade magazines and technical manuals, or attend conferences and seminars to maintain knowledge of hardware and software.

Every day, computer support specialists are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for computer support specialists to talk with staff and management to determine requirements for new systems or modifications. They are often called upon to maintain records of daily data communication transactions, problems and remedial actions taken, or installation efforts. They also modify and customize commercial programs for internal needs. Somewhat less frequently, computer support specialists are also expected to inspect equipment and read order sheets to ready for delivery to users.

Computer support specialists sometimes are asked to conduct office automation feasibility studies, including workflow analysis or cost comparison analysis. and ready evaluations of software or hardware, and recommend improvements or upgrades. And finally, they sometimes have to hire and direct staff working on special project work and installing data communication equipment and software.

Like many other jobs, computer support specialists must be reliable and be thorough and dependable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Winston-Salem include:

Applications Programmer. Develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

Computer Programmer. Convert project specifications and statements of problems and procedures to detailed logical flow charts for coding into computer language. Develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information. May program web sites.

Computer Scientist. Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Solve or develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst. Analyze, design, and evaluate network systems, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Internet, intranet, and other data communications systems. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning. Research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software. Includes telecommunications specialists who deal with the interfacing of computer and communications equipment. May supervise computer programmers.

Network and Computer Systems Administrator. Install, configure, and support an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), and Internet system or a segment of a network system. Maintain network hardware and software. Monitor network to ensure network availability to all system users and perform necessary maintenance to support network availability. May supervise other network support and client server specialists and plan, coordinate, and implement network security measures.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Computer Support Specialist Training

Forsyth Technical Community College - Winston Salem, NC

Forsyth Technical Community College, 2100 Silas Creek Pky, Winston Salem, NC 27103-5197. Forsyth Technical Community College is a medium sized college located in Winston Salem, North Carolina. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 6,748 students. Forsyth Technical Community College has a less than one year and an associate's degree program in Computer Hardware Technology/Technician which graduated zero and four students respectively in 2008.

Certified Wireless Network Administrator:
The CWNA certification is the foundation level enterprise Wi-Fi certification for the CWNP Program, and CWNA is required for your CWSP and CWNE certifications.

Certified Customer Service Specialist:
An individual who successfully passes ETA's World Class CSS Certification exam is professionally recognized as having the ability to uphold the interpersonal and business standards necessary in today's workplace.

Desktop Support Technician:
The HDI Desktop Support Technician certification is designed specifically for IT support professionals who spend much of their day visiting customers at their workstations or home office.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston-Salem, North Carolina photo by File Upload Bot

Winston-Salem is situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina. It has a population of over 217,600, which has grown by 17.1% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Winston-Salem, 83, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Winston-Salem cost $76,600 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, 1,032 new homes were built in Winston-Salem, down from 1,706 the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Winston-Salem are health care, educational services, and finance and insurance. For men, it is construction, health care, and accommodation and food services. The average travel time to work is about 20 minutes. More than 30.3% of Winston-Salem residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 11.0%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Winston-Salem is 9.0%, which is less than North Carolina's average of 10.6%.

The percentage of Winston-Salem residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 50.4%, is more than both the national and state average. Wachovia Arbor Church, Mount Zion Church and Hope Church are all churches located in Winston-Salem. The largest religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church and the Moravian Church in America.

Winston-Salem is home to the Stafford Center and the Dixie Classics Fairgrounds as well as Forest Park and Mineral Springs Park. Shopping centers in the area include College Plaza Shopping Center, College Village Shopping Center and Club Haven Shopping Center.